Midsummer Dream
by Aprill May
Summary: [AU SM,IK] What does it mean to be in love? Surely not all this. Well, the course of true love never did run smooth. If you have read the play, then you know that the pairings are going on a wild ride.


Disclaimer: I own nothing of Inuyasha and other characters. Original story of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" belongs to William Shakespeare, as well as some of the quotes from the play, which I butchered quite nicely.

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** Midsummer Dream**

_ ACT I_

"Jaken!" Sesshomarou commanded chillingly from the throne in his palace. The little dwarf-like servant immediately scuttled to a stop in front of his master, head bowed. 

"Did Master Sesshomarou call for me?" Jaken asked in typical grovelling manner. 

"I want you to spread the joyous news to the lands of Athens, that their leader Sesshomarou is to be wed in four days." Managing to retain a stoic composure, he motioned to the woman next to him, who then gave Jaken a perturbing smile. 

"Imagine," Kagura said thoughtfully. "Four more days until the night we wed." 

"Four days too long," he retorted, inciting a smile from his beloved. He turned his attention towards his servant once again. 

"Go! Inform all, especially the youth and my younger brother," Sesshomarou finished, gesturing with his hand. "I have conquered the threat of Naraku and have won the lady Kagura." 

Immediately, Jaken bowed before turning around and running off. 

The next afternoon, visitors arrived at the palace. Again, Jaken repeated the ritual of stumbling towards Sesshomarou's throne and grovelling at his feet, except this time he moved to the side of the pedestal to announce the visitors. 

"Lord Sesshomarou and Lady Kagura, I present to you visitors to the palace, who intend to wish you well in your marriage." 

"I give you military director Isamu and his daughter Sango, and her suitors the master's young brother Inuyasha, and the missionary Miroku." 

Sesshomarou instantly recognized Isamu as a member of the royal court. He was an intimidating man, ageing, but healthy and staunch. Next to him stood his daughter, also firm and well-built. Her skin was tanned from walking the streets of the city and dark chestnut hair flowed thickly over her shoulders. 

To the other side of Isamu were two young men. One was tall and solid looking, with dark obsidian black hair and contrasting blue eyes. He appeared nonchalant, however polite as he bowed before his superiors. 

A smirk graced the lips of the duke as he observed his tactless younger brother standing before him. Inuyasha looked up and glared at Sesshomarou, then directed his attention elsewhere, taking to making faces at the guards who stood on either side of his older half- brother's throne. 

All four bowed in respect for their ruler, including Inuyasha after some reluctance. 

"We have come in great delight to hear that the duke of Athens is about to be wed," Isamu proclaimed with a smile and a graceful bow. A faint snort was heard around Inuyasha. 

"Thank you for your well-wishes, we simply cannot wait any longer!" Kagura answered, whilst cooling herself with a decorated, ornamental fan. 

"I am simply overjoyed that our duke has finally found such happiness," Isamu continued, seemingly emphasizing each word to his daughter, who crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. 

"Now Isamu, have you come to me with a problem?" Sesshomarou asked in concern for his military director. 

"It's not that I am not excited about your upcoming wedding," Isamu began in an apologetic tone. "But my own daughter refuses to seek happiness in the same manner. We have been getting into many arguments lately, and I simply cannot deal with it, because she has been led into trickery by this man, Miroku." 

At the mention of his name, Miroku looked up earnestly at Sesshomarou, chancing a small grin which was not returned. 

"Sango has always been a respectable and gracious daughter, however, things have changed since she has met this man, Miroku, an apprentice at the monastery. Her values and priorities have changed, it's made our relationship sarcastic and stressful, and I come to you in complaint against her." 

Her father's words had no effect on Sango; she merely gazed around at the lavish furnishings of the palace and swatted at a fly on her shoulder. 

Isamu turned towards Inuyasha and mouthed something to him. Flamboyantly, he stepped forward and stood with his hands on his hips. 

"Lord Sesshomarou, I have given your relative, this honourable man Inuyasha, my blessing and consent to marry my daughter." 

He pretended to ignore the surpressed laugh behind him. 

Isamu then began gesturing towards Miroku with his arms. "But this...this...this _man_!" he exclaimed in exasperation. 

Sesshomarou's eyebrows quirked in interest. "Come forward, Miroku," he commanded, and Miroku stepped in front of the throne in compliance. 

"He has her under a spell! He's worked dark magic on her heart! He's won her over through well-chosen words and declarations of love. By night, he'd stand under her window and call to her, influencing her with his false words of true love. Not a moment would go by when she did not mention his name, because he has brainwashed her so, with gifts, jewellery, romantic verses, compliments- " he paused to catch his breath. 

"What's more, noble lord," Isamu articulated, "do you know what this man said when they met? Do you?" 

Sesshomarou shook his head. 

"HE ASKED HER TO HAVE HIS CHILDREN!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the palace walls. "His children! When they first met! He's an apprentice at the monastery, if you can believe it! And you know what she said?" he paused, glancing at his daughter, reliving the disbelief. "She said that he was just being silly! Oh _no_, at first it was offensive, and somewhat disturbing, but _now_ it was just his _silly_ attempt to meet her." 

He paused for another breath. 

"My Sango! A girl of pure innocence! Of course she would be won over so easily! Miroku, with his sneaky and persuasive demeanour, has stolen her heart. Because of this, she has started questioning my authority as her father, disobeying and disrespecting me. It is my wish that she agree to marry Inuyasha, the son of my late wife's companion in accordance with her dying wish. However, her stubbornness has begun to astound me, and she refuses, instead demanding to be with _him_, " Isamu said accusingly, before turning to Sesshomarou with a pleading gleam in his eyes. 

"Grand Duke Sesshomarou, if here, before you, Sango does not yield to be wed with Inuyasha, I ask for permission to enforce the ancient laws of this town." 

Sesshomarou rested his chin on his palm as Kagura yawned beside him. He directed his gaze towards Sango, who was still standing stiffly and eyeing him with disdain. 

"Sango, what do you have to say for yourself? You admit to dishonouring your father, who had a part in creating you. As his child, his whom he raised by his own standard, you have placed a blemish on your family name. Inuyasha, he is my half-brother, and, if your father believes so, a suitable gentleman nonetheless." 

"Miroku is just as worthy as any man," Sango shot back in response. 

"Perhaps he is," Sesshomarou replied. "But in this situation, with your father's blessing, Inuyasha has been selected above Miroku." 

"If father looked with _my_ eyes-" 

"His _judgement_ must look with your eyes," Sesshomarou interrupted. "I have worked with your father for quite a while in the royal court, and I must say that I trust in his decisions." 

"Honourable duke, I ask that you please excuse my attitude this afternoon, my behaviour is not of my own accord," Sango appealed. "I make a request of you, that you tell me the absolute worst punishment I may receive if I do not consent to my father's will." 

Sesshomarou's expression grew solemn. "If you must know, you will either die, or be forced to join the convent." 

She blinked at his words. 

He drew on. "Think about this, Sango, consider your age and the value of your life. If you choose to refuse the wishes of your father, you will live the life of a nun, and never know a man. Forever you will be alone and in constant control of your emotions. Perhaps you would be happier in this untouched life, than if you were to grow, live and die without blessing." 

"I will grow, live and die, my lord, before I give up my right to virginity. Sovereignty means nothing to me in this case. I refuse," she declared. 

The lord sighed. "Because of your youth and naiveté, young Sango, I will give you time to think about your choice. In four days, my wedding night, you must either prepare to die as a result of disobedience towards your father, to marry Inuyasha, or to take your vow of chastity." 

Inuyasha's rough voice sounded in impatience. "Come on Sango, stop arguing. Your father has already chosen me." She ignored him. "And you, Miroku. Listen up, the man's chosen me already, there's no chance for you, so let me have what's mine." 

Miroku was unfazed. "Exactly, her father loves you already, so why don't you let me have Sango, and you can marry him," he suggested in all seriousness. 

The father in question grew red. "He is unworthy, this Miroku! It is no doubt that Inuyasha has my blessing, as the son of my wife's greatest friend. Because he is deserving of all I have, what I own of Sango, I bestow unto Inuyasha." 

Miroku stepped towards the throne with a defiant expression marring his features. 

"My lord, I must insist that I am as every bit deserving as Inuyasha. I have wealth enough to support Sango, and I can honestly claim that my love for her is indeed stronger! I am, in every way, evenly matched to him, if not better." 

His voice took on a more rational tone. "Furthermore, I am the one that Sango loves. Do I not have the right to love and marry her?" 

He then crossed his arms and gave his rival a dark look. 

"From what I know of Inuyasha, and this I am not afraid to say to his face, is that he lay with Kagome, the renowned daughter of the town healer. Unfortunately, she has devoted herself to him, and declares her unconditional love to this man!" 

Inuyasha immediately turned red and clenched his fists, looking at the ground. 

Sesshomarou sighed again and shifted positions on his throne. 

"I must say that I know of this, but I thought I had already spoken to you about this, Inuyasha. Be that as it may, with all the commotion and personal affairs happening these days, I seem to have forgotten." 

The duke stood up from his throne and straightened into a dignified pose. "Isamu, Inuyasha, both of you come with me, I have a bit of advice to share with the both of you." 

Isamu and Inuyasha heeded and stepped forward. 

"Sango, go and prepare yourself, decide if you can conform your affairs to your father's preferences, or else you will be at the mercy of Athens law." 

She nodded slowly and stared at her hands, which were clasped in front of her. 

"Kagura, my love, come along. Inuyasha and Isamu too, we have much to talk about in terms of preparations for the wedding, as well as other issues that concern you." 

The duke's betrothed rose from her seat and stretched. "Let us go then." 

The foursome turned and walked towards the gardens, their steps echoing on the marble, while Jaken, Sesshomarou's attendant, struggled to keep up with their long strides. 

Miroku exhaled deeply, turned to Sango who had her head down, and placed his hands on her shoulders. 

"Sango, are you feeling ill? You're so pale." 

"Don't wish for rain, Miroku, enough tears fall from my eyes," she answered bitterly, digging her nails into the skin of her upper arm. 

He brushed her cheeks with the back of his hand before pulling her arms out of their crossed position, and sighed loudly as he gently squeezed her shoulders. 

"Nothing I have ever heard, read, or imagined could have prepared me. The course of true love never did run smooth. Never for these reasons, it was only due to rank-" 

"You know perfectly well that your rank is close enough, or even greater than mine. " 

"Or it was because we were inappropriately matched-" 

"Don't you dare say that Miroku." 

"Or the choice didn't rest with us-" 

"To hell with that! Who is one to choose love with another's eyes." 

"If one ever considered sympathy in a choice, it was always influenced by war, death, and sickness, and all sympathetic thoughts were lost, lasting only for a moment. Swift as a shadow, and short as any dream." He looked up at the ceiling above him, lost in his own thoughts. 

Sango pulled his face down to look at her. "If we are truly in love, this- this _frustration_ is nothing but customary. We will be patient, because frustration is an expected part of love, as essential as our thoughts and dreams." 

"Listen to me Sango. I have a widowed aunt who is a dowager, quite wealthy, and without children, therefore, she has always treated me as her own. Her home is roughly two miles from Athens. It is there, Sango, that we can be married, where the Athenian laws cannot pursue us." 

Sango's expression was one of slight confusion. "What are you saying?" 

He clasped their hands together tightly. "Tomorrow night, if you still love me then, run away from your father's home." 

Expecting to see her smile light, she instead looked away from his eyes. "Is this a bad idea?" he asked worriedly. 

"No." Her voice sounded anxious. "Where will I go?" 

"Sango, is that what you're worried about?" Miroku asked, slightly relieved. "Remember where we first met? 

She flushed at the memory. "Of course I do, I could never forget how you approached me in the woods when I was with Kagome, celebrating the Rites of May." 

"A mile into the forest, at the bed of primroses. I will wait for you there." 

She observed him meaningfully. "You have my word, at the place where we met, I will wait for you." 

He moved to place a quick kiss on the apple of her cheek, when they both heard footsteps becoming louder as someone approached. 

"Kagome!" Sango cried, embracing her friend. "You look wonderful today!" 

"Thanks," she replied weakly. 

Sango immediately grew concerned. "Are you okay? What brings you here?" 

Kagome sighed and sat down upon the edge of one of the many fountains within the palace. "It's Inuyasha again! He only has eyes for you, only wants to be with you. Oh, Sango, how I wish I _were_ you." 

Sango sat down beside her and squeezed her arm soothingly. "Don't say things like that Kagome, I know he loves you inside." 

Kagome looked up from where she was submerging the water lilies and flipping them over. "You know Sango, I wish I were you. I'd give anything to be like you. Why does he love you when he knows how I feel?" 

Sango crossed her arms and propped her chin under her palm. "He knows how I dislike him, but he's so stubbornly persistent." 

"Maybe if I acted as though I dislike him then, " Kagome said thoughtfully. 

"I think it's our situation," Sango decided. "Our mothers were great friends, and she often wished our families be intertwined." 

"You have all the luck." 

"And I'm guessing," Sango continued, ignoring Kagome's comments. "That he wishes to honour her request. Don't you see Kagome? Even as I treat him poorly, he continues to follow me!" 

"And when I continue to love him, the more he hates me." 

"He's blind Kagome. Like my father, bent on controlling my love. Can't you see it's not my fault?" Sango pleaded. 

"I know it's not, it is all mine," she answered, staring into the fountain. 

Sango looked up in thought for a moment, and then turned back to her friend. "Kagome, you will worry no longer. Before I met Miroku, life here was a short-lived paradise, and now that we are together, it has turned into hell." 

Miroku, who had been standing back listening, came forward. "Kagome, we will let you in on our secret, but you must tell no one. At midnight tomorrow, Sango and I will escape this place." 

"We will meet in the woods, where we used to run away to talk as young girls. We will leave together, to another town and a new life," Sango continued. 

"I will miss you Kagome, and I hope we will meet again. I wish you the best of luck with Inuyasha," she said, enveloping her friend into a hug. She pulled back, smiled, and turned towards Miroku. 

"Miroku, I must get home before father and I quarrel yet again. We cannot see one another until midnight tomorrow." 

She stood to leave and they kissed one another chastely, Kagome pretending not to watch. 

"You have my word, Sango." 

She gave them a graceful smile and wave before turning and walking quickly out of the palace, waves of white fabric swinging behind her. 

"I must also leave, Kagome. Trust me, as much as you love him, Inuyasha loves you." 

And so Miroku left as well, in the opposite direction. 

Kagome continued to trail her fingers through the water and trace paths through the floating petals. 

"Miroku and Sango, they're so much more happier than I. In this city, my beauty is considered almost equal in comparison to hers. But Inuyasha, he doesn't care. I'm just making an ass of myself, chasing after him, when he only follows Sango. I love all of him, even his personality, considered extreme and blunt at best, I do not care." 

Her fingers curled around a smooth pebble at the bottom of the fountain and she pulled it out of the water and tossed it at the stone sculpture of Cupid, hitting the cherub squarely between the eyes. 

"Cupid, why are you so blind? You are hardly a young boy, you are still a child, so you are easily lied to and deceived. While he still pursues Sango, he looked me in the eye and promised he was only mine. Those were empty promises." 

She stared sadly at her reflection in the still water. 

"Why does he not notice what everyone else knows!" she exclaimed aloud. 

"Until he heard of Miroku and Sango, he wanted to be with me. And now he's driven by the wishes of his late mother?" 

She propped her feet in front of her and rested her head on her knees, the edges of her skirt falling into the fountain. 

"I will tell Inuyasha that Sango is eloping in secret, and surely he will follow her. I will make the pain rewarding, because I'll be able to see him again."

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_Midsummer Dream: Act I _

_June 11th 2004_

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__I know, I know, it's supposed to be an Sango/Miroku story, but the original play was very character driven as well. I assure you our favourite couple has a larger role coming up, but for now let's establish that dear Kagome is pining after dear Inuyasha who's pining after dear Sango. Of course, Inuyasha is only entreated by his mother's wishes, but he's blind to that knowledge so...yes. I admit I veered off the original story, but as long as it all works out. 

By the way, this story is going to be my entry to the YTN fanfiction contest. If you like it, please review and help me get it nice and spiffy before submission! 

Just a quick note on the Rites of May, since I mentioned it up there I thought I should at least include some sort of definition. Basically, it evolved from a fertility festival, and included dancing around the Maypole, a carnival, and spending the night in the woods. Most, but not all of the time, a good number of maidens were deflowered, so to speak. 

May


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